HB 699 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Revise review panel for tailings plans

HB 699 revises the laws concerning the independent review panel responsible for evaluating metal mine tailings impoundment plans. The bill modifies the panel's membership requirements, qualifications, and duties, directly affecting metal mine operators and the experts involved in reviewing tailings storage facility designs. Key changes include broadening the qualifications for panel members to allow recognized subject matter experts who are not licensed engineers to serve, in addition to licensed professional engineers. It also mandates that the review panel provide a written report and grants new rulemaking authority to implement these changes.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 24, 2025 Signed May 13, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB0699_X(2).pdf HB0699_X(3).pdf · 1 edit
MINOR
The amendment removes the phrase 'AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE' from the bill's title, which means the legislation will no longer take effect immediately upon signing. Instead, it will likely follow the standard legislative timeline, waiting for the next regular session or a specific future date unless another provision specifies otherwise.
Scope change
The bill's scope regarding its effective date has changed from immediate implementation to a delayed or standard effective date.
TIMELINE

The requirement for the bill to have an immediate effective date was removed, allowing it to take effect on a future date or at the start of the next legislative session.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 11, 2025 · House Apr 18, 2025

How they voted

480
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 50
Apr 11, 2025
D Democratic18
17 Yea 1
94% Yea
R Republican32
31 Yea 1
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
40
Key actions
9
Committee
6
Amendments
1
May 8, 2025
Signed into law
(H) Signed by Governor
lower
May 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
Apr 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Apr 18, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (98-0-2)
house
Apr 12, 2025
Introduced
(S) Returned to House with Amendments
upper
Apr 11, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (48-0-2)
senate
Apr 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Natural Resources
upper
Apr 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Natural Resources
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Natural Resources
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Natural Resources
lower
Mar 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Natural Resources
lower
Feb 24, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Natural Resources
lower
Feb 24, 2025
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Bill Mercer
Bill Mercer
RRepublican
MT
52